LEAF NZ Tour Diary --- Day 10 (Queenstown to Mt Potts)
We leave early (8.00am) as we have a lot of ground to cover to get to Mt Potts. Lots of driving!
We stop at Lindis Pass (change drivers), Twizel (food), Lake Tekapo (Church of Good Shepherd) and Geraldine (food, ring Philip and Eru).
Ring Eru from Geraldine to hook up meeting time for tomorrow. Feels very strange to be speaking to him in real life! He’s been asleep, and at first I can’t understand what he is saying …is it Elvish?!! …but he’s just slurring his words!
Arrive Mt Potts about 4.00pm. It is stunning, but it really is in the middle of nowhere … read ‘more dusty roads’ …!
Moriel, Qua, Vanya and I attempt to conquer Edoras before dinner at 7.00pm. Following the road takes too long, so we decide to cut across country … oooops! Have to ford many streams that seem to get deeper, wider and faster the closer we get to the hill. Eventually admit defeat and drearily backtrack to the lodge for dinner. We can’t believe the rest of the group were waiting for us back at the cars! We thought they would have gone ages ago! Vanya, Qua, Moriel and moi very dejected about not standing on Edoras.
We are the only ones staying at the lodge, the hostess/cook wouldn’t have to be here if not for us! She cooks a wonderful three course dinner for us. There are some small production photos of Edoras on the walls and she was involved with the catering while they were filming here.
Ballooning tomorrow has been cancelled due to overnight air temperatures being too high. Hope to have another attempt at Edoras tomorrow morning before breakfast.
Lodge lounge has a pool table … cool! … and I think I manage to beat pool-shark-Darth-Mor (?!) … beginner’s luck, eh?
Pool playing and internet after dinner. tried to call Phil again, but only got answer machine.
~~~ Previous Day ~~~~~ Next Day ~~~
~~~ LEAF NZ Tour Diary Index ~~~
We stop at Lindis Pass (change drivers), Twizel (food), Lake Tekapo (Church of Good Shepherd) and Geraldine (food, ring Philip and Eru).
Ring Eru from Geraldine to hook up meeting time for tomorrow. Feels very strange to be speaking to him in real life! He’s been asleep, and at first I can’t understand what he is saying …is it Elvish?!! …but he’s just slurring his words!
Arrive Mt Potts about 4.00pm. It is stunning, but it really is in the middle of nowhere … read ‘more dusty roads’ …!
Moriel, Qua, Vanya and I attempt to conquer Edoras before dinner at 7.00pm. Following the road takes too long, so we decide to cut across country … oooops! Have to ford many streams that seem to get deeper, wider and faster the closer we get to the hill. Eventually admit defeat and drearily backtrack to the lodge for dinner. We can’t believe the rest of the group were waiting for us back at the cars! We thought they would have gone ages ago! Vanya, Qua, Moriel and moi very dejected about not standing on Edoras.
We are the only ones staying at the lodge, the hostess/cook wouldn’t have to be here if not for us! She cooks a wonderful three course dinner for us. There are some small production photos of Edoras on the walls and she was involved with the catering while they were filming here.
Ballooning tomorrow has been cancelled due to overnight air temperatures being too high. Hope to have another attempt at Edoras tomorrow morning before breakfast.
Lodge lounge has a pool table … cool! … and I think I manage to beat pool-shark-Darth-Mor (?!) … beginner’s luck, eh?
Pool playing and internet after dinner. tried to call Phil again, but only got answer machine.
~~~ Previous Day ~~~~~ Next Day ~~~
~~~ LEAF NZ Tour Diary Index ~~~